Nowadays roll-to-roll printing systems are available for printing digital images according to a digital image queue. The digital image queue has an entry for each submitted digital image to be printed. The sequence order of the entries in the digital image queue represents a chronological order of printing the corresponding digital images on the roll. Such an entry comprises a digital identification to the digital image —for example a link to the storage location of the digital image—, image properties of the digital image, etc. A user is able to move entries up and down the digital image queue, for example to move an entry to the head of the digital image queue.
Roll-to-roll systems have at least one input holder for holding input rolls and at least one output holder for holding output rolls. In a roll-to-roll printing system in general two-sided printing is realized by loading a roll in the input holder, printing the digital images intended to be printed on the first side of the roll, winding up the roll on the output holder, unloading the printed roll from the output holder, reloading the printed roll in the input holder, printing the digital images intended to be printed on the second side of the—one-sided printed—roll and winding up the two-sided printed roll on the output holder. A calibration step for positioning the first side of the roll before printing and a calibration step for positioning the second side of the roll before printing is known in the art. Between the printing of the first side of the roll and printing of the second side of the roll other rolls may be printed by the roll-to-roll printing system.
In case of two-sided printing a digital image to be printed on a first location on the first side of the roll such that a digital image to be printed on a second location of the second side of the roll, the second location being the backside of the first location, is predetermined by the scheduling of the operator or by the specifications of the print jobs which have been submitted to the roll-to-roll printing system and include the digital images to be printed. However, when scheduling the digital images on the first side of the roll and the second side of the roll the operator wants to keep a freedom of moving entries of digital images intended to be printed on the first side and/or on the second side of the roll in the digital image queue to another position in the digital image queue in case of two-sided printing on the roll.
The objective of the present invention is to influence an order of printing digital images on a roll which is intended to be two-sided printed.
The objective is achieved by the method according to the present invention wherein the method comprises the steps of for each first digital image to be printed on the first side of the roll, establishing a first location on the first side of the roll at which first location the first digital image is intended to be printed, establishing a second digital image which is intended to be printed at a second location on the second side of the roll, the second location being the backside of the first location, and linking the first entry of the first digital image in the digital image queue to the second entry of the second digital image in the digital image queue by means of a linking digital item in the digital image queue, and printing the second digital images on the second side of the roll according to the corresponding linking digital items in the digital image queue, wherein the method comprises the steps of, upon changing a position of the first linked entry in the digital image queue into a new first position, changing a position of the second linked entry in the digital image queue such that the digital image corresponding to the second linked entry at the changed position is intended to be printed on a backside of the digital image corresponding to the first linked entry at the new first position, and, upon changing a position of the second linked entry in the digital image queue into a new second position, changing a position of the first linked entry in the digital image queue such that the digital image corresponding to the first linked entry at the changed position is intended to be printed on a backside of the digital image corresponding to the second linked entry at the new second position.
By doing so, the digital images intended to be printed on the first side of the roll and on the second side of the roll are linked. A second digital image corresponds via a linked entry to a first digital image. The second digital image is then printed on the backside of the first printed digital image. The second digital image may be the same as the first digital image. The second digital image may be different from the first digital image. The second digital image may be a mirrored image of the first digital image.
For convenience reasons, hereinafter a first digital image corresponding to a first entry which is linked to a second entry comprising a representation of a second digital image, is said to be linked to the second digital image.
Upon changing a position of the first linked entry in the digital image queue into a new first position, a position of the second linked entry in the digital image queue is changed such that the digital image corresponding to the second linked entry at the changed position is intended to be printed on the backside of the digital image corresponding to the first linked entry at the new first position.
For example, moving a digital image intended to be printed on a location on the first side one position up in the digital image queue results in moving the corresponding digital image intended to be printed on the backside of the location one position down in the digital image queue. The latter movement is opposite to the first movement since, when the roll is one-sided printed, the printing on the second side of the roll starts at the end of the wound up one-sided printed roll.
Mutatis mutandis, upon changing a position of the second linked entry in the digital image queue into a new second position, a position of the first linked entry in the digital image queue is changed such that the digital image corresponding to the first linked entry at the changed position is intended to be printed on the backside of the digital image corresponding to the second linked entry at the new second position.
For example, moving a digital image intended to be printed on a location on the second side one position up in the digital image queue results in moving the corresponding digital image intended to be printed on the backside of the location one position down in the digital image queue. The latter movement is opposite to the first movement since, when the roll is one-sided printed, the printing on the second side of the roll starts at the end of the wound up one-sided printed roll.
According to an embodiment the method comprises a step of, upon changing a value of a digital item of a print property of the first linked entry into a new first value, changing a value of a corresponding digital item of a print property of the second linked entry into the same new first value.
For example, the print property is a number of copies of a first digital image corresponding to the first linked entry. When the number of copies of the first digital image is changed a number of copies of the corresponding second digital image is changed accordingly.
For example, a left margin for a first digital image is taken into account when printing a corresponding second digital image on the second side of the roll. A left margin of the second digital image is made equal to the left margin of the first digital image and the second digital image is rotated π radians before printing the second digital image on the second side of the roll. A right margin for a first digital image is taken into account when printing a corresponding second digital image on the second side of the roll. A right margin of the second digital image is made equal to the right margin of the first digital image and the second digital image is rotated π radians before printing the second digital image on the second side of the roll.
For example, a top margin for a first digital image is taken into account when printing a corresponding second digital image on the second side of the roll. A bottom margin of the second digital image is made equal to the top margin of the first digital image and the second digital image is rotated π radians before printing the second digital image on the second side of the roll. A bottom margin for a first digital image is taken into account when printing a corresponding second digital image on the second side of the roll. A top margin of the second digital image is made equal to the bottom margin of the first digital image and the second digital image is rotated π radians before printing the second digital image on the second side of the roll.
According to an embodiment the method comprises the step of, upon changing a value of a digital item of a print property of the second linked entry into a new second value, changing a value of a corresponding digital item of a print property of the first linked entry into the same new second value.
The print property is at least one out of a number of copies, a left margin to be taken into account when printing on the roll, a right margin to be taken into account when printing on the roll, a top margin to be taken into account when printing on the roll, and a bottom margin to be taken into account when printing on the roll.
According to an embodiment the step of printing the second digital images on the second side of the roll according to the corresponding linking digital items in the digital image queue comprises the step of centring the second digital images on the second side of the roll to the centre of the printed corresponding first digital images on the first side of the roll. By centring the second digital image at the centre of the first digital image on the other side of the roll, the printed first digital image maximally overlaps with the printed second digital image to be printed on the back side of the printed first digital image. The centring step is also applicable if the size of the first digital image deviates from the size of the second digital image.
According to an embodiment the step of changing a position of the first linked entry into another position in the digital image queue comprises the sub-steps of displaying a user operable representation of the digital image queue on a user interface screen of the roll-to-roll printing system, the user operable representation having a digital image part for an entry of a digital image intended to be printed on the roll, moving the digital image part corresponding with the first linked entry to a position in the user interface screen corresponding to the other position, and automatically moving the digital image part corresponding with the second linked entry to a corresponding position in the user interface screen.
The user interface screen of the roll-to-roll printing system for input of operator actions or displaying the status of the roll-to-roll printing system according to the digital image queue may be a local user interface connected to the roll-to-roll printing system or a remote user interface wireless connected to the roll-to-roll printing system, like a mobile device, a tablet, a mobile phone, a smart phone, a smart watch, smart glasses, a notebook computer, a laptop computer or any other hand held device. The user interface may also be a part of a desktop computer connected to the roll-to-roll printing system via a network system.
According to an embodiment the step of changing a position of the second linked entry into another position in the digital image queue comprises the sub-steps of displaying a user operable representation of the digital image queue on a user interface of the roll-to-roll printing system, the user operable representation having a digital image part for an entry of a digital image intended to be printed on the roll, moving the digital image part corresponding with the second linked entry to a position in the user interface screen corresponding to the other position, and automatically moving the digital image part corresponding with the first linked entry to a corresponding position in the user interface screen.
According to an embodiment the step of linking the first entry of the first digital image in the digital image queue to the second entry of the second digital image in the digital image queue, comprises the step of making a digital image part of the user operable representation of the digital image queue on a user interface screen of the roll-to-roll printing system inoperable for a user, the digital image part corresponding to the second entry in the digital image queue.
The second digital image to be printed on the backside of the particular digital image is prohibited to be operated upon in the digital image queue in order to respect the linking between the first digital image and the second digital image.
For example the entry of the second digital image is prohibited to be moved to another location in the digital image queue or the number of copies of the second digital image may not be changed in order to respect the linking between the first digital image and the second digital image.
According to an embodiment the method comprises the step of, after printing the first digital image of the first entry in the digital image queue which first entry is linked to the second entry of the second digital image in the digital image queue, making a digital image part of the user operable representation of the digital image queue on a user interface screen of the roll-to-roll printing system inoperable for a user, the digital image part corresponding to the second entry in the digital image queue.
Since the first digital image corresponding to the first entry is already printed on a location on the first side of the roll, the second digital image to be printed on the backside of the first digital image is prohibited to be operated upon in the digital image queue in order to respect the linking between the first digital image and the second digital image on the roll.
For example the entry of the second digital image is prohibited to be moved to another location in the digital image queue or the number of copies of the second digital image is prohibited to be changed in order to respect the linking between the first digital image and the second digital image on the roll.
The inoperable digital image part of the representation of the digital image queue may be expressed by a deviating color of the digital image part, for example a grey color.
According to an embodiment the method comprises the steps of changing a roll property of the roll by means of the user interface screen and changing the corresponding digital items of print properties of the linked entries corresponding to digital images to be printed on the both sides of the roll. A roll property may be a roll width, a media type of the roll, a media weight of the roll, any other media property of the roll, etc.
According to an embodiment a first digital item representing the first side of the roll on the user interface screen and a second digital item representing the second side of the roll on the user interface screen may be provided. The first digital item and/or the second digital item may be provided with indications of roll properties of the corresponding roll. The indications of roll properties may be editable. If a roll property of the first digital item representing the first side of the roll is changed, automatically a same or corresponding property of the second digital item representing the second side of the roll is changed.
An example of a corresponding property of the second side of the roll may be an indication if the second side is coated or uncoated. When using one-sided coated media a media property of the first side may be labelled “uncoated” while the corresponding media property of the second side may be labelled “coated”.
According to an embodiment at least one of the first digital item and the second digital item is provided with a swap operable digital item. Upon activating the swap operable digital item by the user by means of a finger touch, mouse click, etc, digital images shown on the user interface screen to be printed on the first side of the roll are automatically swapped with digital images shown on the user interface screen to be printed on the second side of the roll. The corresponding entries in the digital image queue are simultaneously and automatically swapped.
According to an embodiment the method comprises the steps of displaying a user operable digital pool item on the user interface, the user operable digital pool item comprising a representation of a two-sided digital image to be printed, dragging the representation to the first digital item or to the second digital item, displaying one digital image of the two-sided digital image at the first digital item, displaying the other digital image of the two-sided digital image at the second digital item, creating a first entry of the one digital image in the digital image queue to be printed on the first side of the roll, creating a second entry of the other digital image in the digital image queue to be printed on the second side of the roll, and linking the first created entry with the second created entry.
The invention also relates to a roll-to-roll printing system for two-sided printing of digital images on a roll of media, the roll-to-roll printing system comprising at least one input holder for holding a roll of media, at least one output holder for holding the printed roll, a control unit comprising a digital image queue comprising an entry for each digital image to be printed on a first side of the roll and comprising an entry for each digital image to be printed on the second side of the roll, each entry comprising a first digital item identifying the digital image and digital items of print properties of the digital image, a user interface for displaying and manipulating an entry of the digital image queue, a print section for printing digital images on both sides of media of the roll according to the digital image queue, wherein the control unit comprises a first establishing section for establishing a first location on the first side of the roll at which first location the first digital image is intended to be printed, a second establishing section for establishing a second digital image which is intended to be printed at a second location on the second side of the roll, the second location being the backside of the first location, and a linking section for linking the first entry of the first digital image in the digital image queue to the second entry of the second digital image in the digital image queue by means of a linking digital item in the digital image queue, and the control unit is configured to execute a method according to the invention.
According to an embodiment of the roll-to-roll printing system the linking section is configured to make, after linking the first entry in the digital image queue to the second entry in the digital image queue, a digital image part of the user operable representation of the digital image queue on a user interface screen of the roll-to-roll printing system inoperable for a user, the digital image part corresponding to the second entry in the digital image queue.
According to an embodiment of the roll-to-roll printing system the control unit is configured to make, after printing the first digital image of the first entry in the digital image queue which first entry is linked to the second entry of the second digital image in the digital image queue, a digital image part of the user operable representation of the digital image queue on a user interface screen of the roll-to-roll printing system inoperable for a user, the digital image part corresponding to the second entry in the digital image queue.
The invention also relates to a non-transitory recording medium comprising computer executable program code configured to instruct a computer to perform a method according to the invention.
It may be clear for the skilled person that the previous embodiments of the methods may be combined in one way or another resulting in embodiments which also fall under the scope of the invention.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
It is noted that the same reference numerals have been used to identify the same or similar elements throughout the several views.